Using the Ther-Mix, this multi-step protocol could be easily programmed to automatically run through each of these steps including any pauses required for adding the Lysis/Binding buffer at step two.

As well as being more efficient, less change of thermal environment is likely to be beneficial if you’re working with enzymes.

2. Development of microplate Luminex ELISA assays using OriGene’s ELISA and Luminex-validated antibodies

Steps five and six of this method require you to incubate and mix for one-two hours and start preparing the Detection Antibody 10-15 minutes before the end of the incubation.

Using a traditional mixer would mean regularly checking the clock or a stopwatch to know when it’s time to start the preparation step. The Ther-Mix displays how long you have left in the particular cycle so there’s no need to remember to start the stopwatch or check the clock as it’s always there for you to refer to.

There are additional incubation and mixing steps later on, each of which could be created as a separate program on the Ther-Mix as discussed above.This means that you could run each step at the touch of a button without any set up.

You can also personalise then by naming them something obvious to avoid accidents such as at ELISA step five, ELISA step 10 etc. as well as locking the programs to prevent any accidental changes to any of the steps by a user.

3. Life Technologies: Isolating gDNA from 0.3-1 ml Human Blood

During the ‘binding DNA’ part of the method it is necessary to mix at low speed for various intervals, for example, step five requires intermittent swirling of the plate during incubation.

Instead of taking the plate in and out of the incubator repeatedly (but not repeatedly), a Ther-Mix program could be created to do all of this.

Plus, by automating this process, the inherent variability of an operator having to use a timer to decide when to intervene can be removed.

The protease digestion and DNA eluting methods also includes different mixing speeds during incubation which again could be created as Ther-Mix programs to avoid the need for a water bath, a well-known source of contamination in the laboratory.

4. LDN Prolactin rat ELISA

The test procedure for this method contains shaking and incubating steps with very specific timings. The Ther-Mix gives an audible alert when a program is completed, making it easier to ensure that you strictly adhere to methods such as this.